BSNL’s cloud services are based on Dimension Data’s Managed Cloud Platform, which is able to support public, private and hybrid cloud flavours. BSNL will be leveraging the relationship it struck three years ago with Datacraft – which later became consolidated under the Dimension Data brand – to set up six new internet data centres (IDCs) in 2010. BSNL is providing connectivity and Datacraft is managing the cloud service and data centres.

According to COAI, India’s GSM industry body, the carrier is currently the fourth largest in the country in terms of mobile subscribers, but has struggled to grow its user base in an increasingly competitive market.

While BSNL has also struggled to make up for losses incurred over the past few years, the carrier has since May last year embarked on an expansion of its broadband connections with a target of 30,000 subscribers through 2013-2014, including 27,000 for landline and 3,000 for Wimax services through the same period. If the expansion succeeds it may help provide a boost for the recently announced cloud services.

But the carrier will still be joining a growing number of cloud service providers which has grown to include notables like IBM and Orange Business Services. BSNL is competing for a chunk of India’s growing public cloud market, which is forecast to grow 36 per cent in 2013 to $443m, up from $326m in 2012, according to a report by Gartner published earlier this month. Offering cloud services might provide BSNL with a much needed opportunity to develop new revenue streams as it struggles to grow or maintain market share within mobile market, and help it capitalise on its leading position in the fixed broadband space.

Jonathan BrandonJonathan Brandon is editor of Business Cloud News where he covers anything and everything cloud. Follow him on Twitter at @jonathanbrandon.

New research from Synergy states while the cloud market is growing at a healthy rate quarter-by-quarter, the four dominate cloud brands are continuing to pull away from the pack, controlled more market share month-by-month